Ecological indicators display reduced variation in North American catch share fisheries

Abstract

A growing push to implement catch share fishery programs is based partly on the recognition that they may provide stronger incentives for ecological stewardship than conventional fisheries management. Using data on population status, quota compliance, discard rates, use of habitat-damaging gear, and landings for 15 catch share programs in North America, I tested the hypothesis that catch share systems lead to improved ecological stewardship and status of exploited populations. Impacts of catch share programs were measured through comparisons of fisheries with catch shares to fisheries without catch shares or by comparing fisheries before and after catch shares were implemented. The average levels of most indicators were unaffected by catch share implementation: only discard rate, which declined significantly in catch share fisheries, showed a significant response. However, catch share fisheries were distinguished by markedly reduced interannual variability in all indicators, being statistically significant for exploitation rate, landings, discard rate, and the ratio of catch to catch quotas. These impacts of catch shares were common between nations and ocean basins and were independent of the number of years that catch share programs had been in place. These findings suggest that for the indicators examined, the primary effect of catch shares was greater consistency over time. This enhanced consistency could be beneficial to fishery systems and might also be an indication of more effective management.

Income diversification and risk for fishermen

“…Catch share programs have been shown to reduce the interannual variability of ecological indicators (50) and increase profitability of fisheries by increasing quality and value of catches, reducing costs, and increasing sustainability by improving control of total catch (51,52). However, because catch shares are often introduced in fisheries that exhibit overcapacity, they often lead to consolidation and reduced diversification, which could increase income variability.…”

Navigating transformations in governance of Chilean marine coastal resources

“…Scholars in sustainability science recognize the need for fundamental change (9,10) and have recently offered empirically based insights into policy development within linked SES (11)(12)(13). Progress in this field reveals the need to understand SES dynamics that facilitate shifts in governance (11). Specifically, there is still a lack of understanding of how to steer away from unsustainable development pathways toward improved social-ecological trajectories that sustain and enhance marine ecosystem services and human well-being (3).…”

Credible Enforcement Policies Under Illegal Fishing: Does Individual Transferable Quotas Induce to Reduce the Gap Between Approved and Proposed Allowable Catches?

“…is growing and there is an increasing interest to investigate their ecological, economic, and social implications (Costello et al 2008;Essington 2010), it is important to mention that catch share should be used with caution Melnychuk et al 2012).…”

“…Nevertheless, in spite of catch share systems seem to provide benefits such as the stabilization of fishing mortality (Essington 2010), there other relevant consequences that remain unresolved and need further research Melnychuk et al 2012). For example, although harvest rates tend to decrease over time after the implementation of catch shares, the response is too weak to eliminate overfishing .…”